Rabbi Lisa Eiduson

Rabbi Lisa Eiduson joined Congregation B'nai Torah on July 1, 2015 after serving as Rabbi/Educator at Temple Beth Avodah in Newton for the previous 12 years.

Rabbi Eiduson believes that the synagogue should be a warm and welcoming place for all who wish to enter. Her rabbinic philosophy is built on the foundation that simply gathering Jewish knowledge is not enough. Rather, we are called to find joy and meaning in participating in the life of the synagogue.

Rabbi Eiduson believes in the benefits of collaborative leadership which she will bring to all dimensions of Congregation B'nai Torah. She will guide worship and ritual, provide leadership and innovative programming within the Hebrew School and adult learning, give spiritual guidance in times of need, work with lay leadership to help grow our thriving community, and create meaningful connections with members of our CBT family.

A native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, Rabbi Eiduson received her BA in Religion and Jewish Studies in 1986 from Boston University where she studied with Elie Wiesel. Following rabbinic ordination in 1992 from HUC-JIR in Cincinnati, Rabbi Eiduson went on to serve Reform congregations in Cincinnati, Ohio, Buffalo, New York and Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to her synagogue work, Rabbi Eiduson taught at the college level for eight years as an Adjunct Faculty member at Xavier University in Cincinnati and at the State University of New York at Buffalo. She is currently working on a dissertation in the area of Organizational Leadership as part of a doctoral program she is pursuing at Northeastern University.

Rabbi Eiduson enjoys reading, gardening and music, and perhaps most of all, spending time at the ocean with her husband, Rabbi Joe Eiduson, their daughters, Rosie and Carly, and their two Labrador Retrievers, Maggie and Mason.

Cantorial Soloist Jodi Blankstein

Jodi Blankstein (vocalist) comes to Congregation B’nai Torah in Sudbury with many accomplishments and experiences. She received her certificate in Jewish liturgical music from Hebrew College in June of 2010. Since 2008, Jodi has served as the Cantorial Soloist at Temple Habonim in Barrington, RI, Temple Emanuel in Andover, and Congregation Shalom in Chelmsford. She is a sought-after soloist and leader of worship throughout the Greater Boston Area. Prior to her cantorial work, Jodi attended Lesley College where she received her degree in Elementary Education. After teaching elementary school for ten years, Jodi started her journey in sacred music while raising her two children. Immersing herself in her Cantorial role has enabled Jodi to combine her love of teaching and spiritual song. Jodi lives in Needham, Massachusetts with her husband Jim. Their two children, Sydney and Zachary, are both in college.

Accoustic Guitarist Adam Dehner

Adam Dehner (acoustic guitar) is a professional musician and educator. Adam has co-led worship and concert performances with Cantorial Soloist Jodi Blankstein for the past ten years – both in synagogues and throughout the Boston area. By day, Adam teaches students with special needs in the Boston Public Schools and teaches guitar in the Newton area. When not teaching or playing music, Adam can be found spending time with his wife and two young sons in the Natick area.

Rabbi Emeritus Boaz Heilman

Rabbi Heilman has served Congregation B'nai Torah with great dedication, warmth and spirit for the past 20 years. We are grateful for his service and so glad that he will continue to be a vital part of our congregation as Rabbi Emeritus.

Born in Israel in 1949, Rabbi Heilman moved to the United States with his family in 1961. Trained in classical music and learning piano from an early age, he studied at UCLA and SMU, earning a Bachelor of Music and an Artist Diploma in piano performance from SMU in 1971 and 1973 respectively. In 1973, Rabbi Heilman rejoined his family in Israel. Between 1973 and 1977 he concertized in Israel and abroad and made several solo, chamber and concerto recordings for the Israel Broadcasting Authority. During that period he also fulfilled his military duty, serving as a medic in Zahal, the Israel Defense Force.

Rabbi Heilman returned to the United States in 1977 to continue his musical studies and to further his career as a pianist. He received a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1979. In 1980, he married Sally Finestone, then a rabbinic student at Hebrew Union College. Rabbi Heilman's and Rabbi Finestone's two children, Hannah and Yoni, were born in 1982 and 1986 respectively.

Rabbi Heilman was accepted into the rabbinic program at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City in 1995 from where he received his Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature in 1997 and was ordained as a Rabbi in 1998.

Rabbi Heilman served as Rabbinic Leader of Congregation B'nai Torah between 1995 and 1998 and as CBT's first full-time Rabbi until 2015. A dynamic leader, he had a significant impact on all aspects of congregational life from guiding our worship and ritual, to involvement in the Hebrew School and adult learning, providing spiritual guidance in times of need, and officiating at literally hundreds of b'nai mitzvahs for a whole generation of children and their families.

Administrator Robin Berman

Robin Berman has been the Temple Administrator since January, 2016 and a member of the congregation for 19 years. Robin grew up on Long Island and received her Jewish education at Midway Jewish Center, a conservative synagogue in Plainview. As Temple Administrator, Robin wears many hats, overseeing all of CBT’s daily operations, and Member Services, Facilities and Maintenance, Human Resources, Finance and Accounting and Events and Operations.

Robin has a bachelor’s degree in social welfare from SUNY at Albany and then spent the first part of her career in the Hospitality industry working for a Hotel Management company. She then pursued an MBA in Accounting from the Rutgers University School of Management and worked for Price Waterhouse and the Citibank Private Bank.

Robin has served on the Board of Congregation B’nai Torah for many years and in many capacities, culminating with 3 years as President. In her current role as Administrator, Robin finds working with Rabbi Eiduson and interacting with fellow congregants extremely energizing and rewarding.

When she isn’t at CBT, Robin continues to work as a principal in The Camp Experts and Teen Summers, an advisory service that helps parents find summer programs for their children.

B'nai Mitzvah Tutor Orna Sonnenschein

Orna Sonnenschein tutors Congregation B'nai Torah's b'nai mitzvah students in preparation for becoming a bar or bat mitzvah. Orna is a gifted tutor whose enthusiasm, genuine warmth, and positive approach brings out the best in her students. Along with being an outstanding tutor, Orna is also a seasoned Jewish educator with over fifteen years of teaching, tutoring, and administrative experience. Prior to joining Congregation B'nai Torah, Orna served as Director of Elementary Education at Temple Israel of Boston.

Why We Joined

"The open and caring environment, the relaxed feel of Friday services, and weekday-only Hebrew School were the best fit for our busy family. It’s a diverse and inclusive congregation, with many interfaith families — something that is very important to us."